Riches from the rock underground

MAJIC SHIP

Majic Ship, Bel-Ami Records, USA, 1970. £550.

New Yorkers Majic Ship evolved out of teenage garage band The Primitives (one of many who shared the name), before releasing their debut single as Majic Ship in 1968. Following a handful of singles that ranged from straight pop to psychedelic rock, they focused on a more fundamentally rock sound.

Their self-titled album is an excellent mix of guitar-driven acid-rock and mellower moments. Opener Sioux City Blues is a good example of these contrasting dynamics, combining early distortions of Blue Cheer with the soulful ambitions of Grand Funk. Apart from a tasteful rendition of Neil Young’s Down By The River merged with Buffalo Springfield’s classic For What It’s Worth, the material is self-written.

Of course, it’s the heavier tracks that will have appeal most to underground rock fans. While there are moments of deadly fuzz, Majic Ship, for better or worse, never really stray into the realms of caveman primitivism. Mike Garrigan’s opening strains on the line: ‘Bell bottoms dragging on the street’, from blues-rocker, Free, could well be mistaken for a young Ozzy at the mic. Life’s Lonely Road has a sleazy Stooges vibe in the main riff, Nightmare is peppering with harmonious vocals throughout, adding a subtle touch of class, and Too Much is a gutsy slice of mid-paced acid-rock.

Overall Majic Ship hinted at a great band in the making, but their career was cut short when a fire at their rehearsal studios destroyed all their back line. LD

‘An excellent mix of acid-rock and mellower moments.’